Brussels, 01/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 1st September, the European Commission denied reports that had appeared in the Belgian press (Le Soir) whereby it planned to issue a warning to the Belgian political officials to bring about the formation of a real government. Such reports are “unfounded”, the Commission states in a press release.
The European Commission has full confidence in the current caretaker government's ability to run current affairs, and to take any useful or necessary decision in the current context. It also has confidence in the democratic process in Belgium, it adds. Undermined by division between French speakers and Flemish speakers over the future of the country and the degree of autonomy that should be granted to the regions, Belgium has not had a real government since April 2010. Since then, it has been governed by a caretaker government for current affairs, headed by Yves Leterme. After many abortive attempts, eight political parties from both linguistic communities began a new round of talks in August to seek to reach a compromise on the strengthened autonomy requested by Flanders and on the constitution of a federal government. This time, it was decided that the main Flemish party, the hard-liner independentist N-VA formation, should be marginalised.
The Commission points out that, with regard to surveillance of the economic situation for all countries in the EU (as part of the European semester), the Commission has made a series of recommendations which were adopted by the Council on 11 July. The Commission is monitoring the implementation of these recommendations in all member states. “It is not foreseen to undertake any specific steps for Belgium”, the Commission concludes. (L.C./transl.jl)